Red velvet cake is much more than vanilla cake tinted red. This recipe produces the best red velvet cake with superior buttery, vanilla, and cocoa flavors, as well as a delicious tang from buttermilk. My trick is to whip the egg whites, which guarantees a smooth velvet crumb.
This is my forever favorite red velvet cake recipe. I published it on my blog a few years ago and decided it’s time for clearer recipe instructions and a video tutorial. Many of you love this recipe too, so let’s roll up our sleeves and rev up our mixers!
Red velvet cake is the queen of all layer cakes. The “I can’t quite put my finger on the flavor” cake. It’s the sweet marriage of buttermilk and vanilla with a little cocoa for good measure. She’s tall, dramatic, and completely covered in silky cream cheese frosting. This is my best red velvet cake.
What Does Red Velvet Cake Taste Like?
I used to be unsure about red velvet. I don’t really trust a cake that has a mystery flavor. What is red velvet? Is it more like vanilla cake, chocolate cake, or just a butter cake tinted red? From red velvet brownies and red velvet cookies and red velvet cupcakes, I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know red velvet. Red velvet is:
- Mild cocoa flavor
- Tangy buttermilk
- Sweet vanilla
- Very buttery
These 4 flavors are essential to the perfect red velvet layer cake. Not only is the flavor outstanding, red velvet cake’s texture is worth writing home about. It’s dense and soft with a moist and velvety crumb. However, the absolute best part about red velvet cake is the cream cheese frosting. Slathered on thick, my cream cheese frosting recipe is delicately sweet and undeniably creamy.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake
I use specific ingredients, certain amounts, and unique mixing techniques to produce my best red velvet cake recipe. Begin by whisking the dry ingredients together, then beat together the wet ingredients. We’ll combine the two, add buttermilk and tint the batter red. More on food coloring below.
- Cake Flour: I highly recommend cake flour. Cake flour is much lighter than all-purpose and the perfect base for a light, soft-crumbed cake texture. Like I mention above, red velvet’s texture is important to the authenticity of the flavor. You will thank me for the recommendation after you taste how incredibly soft this cake is. It’s the texture you find at professional bakeries.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 2 Tablespoons is plenty for a little cocoa flavor without overpowering the vanilla and butter flavors.
- Butter & Oil: What sets red velvet cake apart from chocolate is its buttery flavor. With only butter, we risk a dry cake. With only oil, we lose the butter flavor and softness that comes with creaming butter & sugar together. So all that’s to say, use both butter and oil. Moist texture, soft and cakey texture, buttery flavor.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is tangy, creamy, and makes baked goods extremely moist. You can’t make delicious red velvet cake without it! Additionally, buttermilk helps activate the baking soda to leaven the cake. If you’re interested, I have plenty more on this topic in my Baking with Buttermilk post (including a DIY buttermilk substitute recipe). It’s also a key ingredient in these black velvet cupcakes!
What About the Food Coloring?
Red velvet cake wouldn’t be red without food coloring. I recommend gel food coloring because the color is concentrated, so you need less of it. For natural coloring, use beet powder. If you don’t want to use food coloring, leave it out! The cake will have the same flavor and be a lovely shade of cocoa.
My #1 Trick
I add one simple step to this red velvet cake recipe and it guarantees the BEST texture.
Whip the egg whites separately, then fold into the batter.
This cake recipe requires 4 large eggs. Separate the eggs before starting. Beat the egg yolks with the wet ingredients, then beat the egg whites into fluffy peaks and fold them in last. Beating the egg whites incorporates air and promises a velvet-rich texture.
You will never go back.
Red Velvet Cake Video Tutorial
Cream Cheese Frosting
In my opinion, cream cheese frosting pairs best with red velvet’s flavor and this frosting recipe is really simple. You need brick-style cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness. It glides on seamlessly and is silky smooth. If you’re looking to pipe decoration with this cream cheese frosting, chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. This guarantees the creamy frosting will hold its shape.
Of course, feel free to use traditional vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream here if you prefer. Or try white chocolate buttercream frosting!
This recipe converts red velvet skeptics. I should know because I used to be one!
Interested in turning this red velvet beauty into a tiered wedding cake? See my homemade wedding cake for details.
More Classic Cake Recipes
- Vanilla Cake
- Banana Cake
- Pumpkin Cake
- Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry Cake
- Lemon Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Red velvet cake is much more than vanilla cake tinted red. This recipe produces the best red velvet cake with superior buttery, vanilla, and cocoa flavors, as well as a delicious tang from buttermilk. My trick is to whip the egg whites, which guarantees a smooth velvet crumb.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature and separated
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- liquid or gel red food coloring
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 cups (600g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the oil, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and vinegar and beat on high for 2 minutes. (Set the egg whites aside.) Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 2-3 additions alternating with the buttermilk. Beat in your desired amount of food coloring just until combined. I use 1-2 teaspoons gel food coloring.
- In a separate medium bowl, vigorously whisk or beat the 4 egg whites on high speed until fluffy peaks form as pictured above, about 3 minutes. Gently fold into cake batter. The batter will be silky and slightly thick.
- Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cakes need a little longer as determined by wet crumbs on the toothpick, bake for longer. However, careful not to overbake as the cakes may dry out. Remove cakes from the oven and cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.
- Assemble and frost: Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. I used Wilton piping tip #12 for decoration around the top.
- Refrigerate cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Red Gel Food Coloring or Beet Powder | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Cake Stand, Serving Plate, or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton Piping Tip #12 | Cake Carrier (for storing cake)
- Cake Flour: For best texture and taste, I strongly recommend cake flour. You can find it in the baking aisle and I have many more recipes using it. If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, you can make a DIY cake flour substitute.
- Vinegar: The vinegar helps brighten the red color. Don’t get scared, a touch of vinegar is normal in red velvet desserts! You can’t taste it.
- Why is everything at room temperature? When everything is near the same temperature, they mix together easily, evenly, and produce a uniform texture. It’s important!
- Food Coloring: The amount of red food coloring is up to you. I tested with varying amounts. To get the dark red color you see here, use 2 teaspoons of gel food coloring. You could use liquid food coloring too, but gel food coloring is more potent. You’ll need at least 1 Tablespoon of liquid. Dye the batter until you are pleased with the color. Use beet powder for a natural alternative (mix 1/2 teaspoon beet powder with 2 teaspoons of water before adding) or leave the food coloring out completely.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a key ingredient and flavor in this recipe. You can use low fat or full fat. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. To do so, add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough regular milk (whole milk is best) to make 1 cup. Stir the two together, then let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Sheet Cake: This batter fits nicely into a 9×13-inch cake pan or 12×17-inch sheet pan. Same oven temperature. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or 20-25 minutes, respectively. Keep your eye on the cake and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- 3 Layer Cake: Prepare 3 9-inch cake pans in step 1 and divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for about 22-25 minutes.
- Bundt Cake: This cake batter fits into a 10-cup or larger bundt pan. I’m unsure of the exact bake time (likely around an hour), but use a toothpick to test for doneness. Same oven temperature.
- Cupcakes: You can use this cake batter for 2-3 dozen cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 – 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-21 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Use my red velvet cupcakes recipe if you need fewer.
Recipe originally published on Sally’s Baking Recipes in 2015.
Need something smaller? Here are my red velvet cupcakes!
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is the 4th year in a row my daughter (now 17) has asked for this cake for her birthday. The recipe is perfect as is – we make no changes. We love making it together every year and it’s a huge hit with the whole family! Wish I could post a pic of how beautiful it looks even when made by amateurs like us who need every detail in the instructions to bake it 🙂
This cake was perfectly moist and fluffy, and the texture was great, but the flavor was a little bland. Not the rich velvety cake I was looking for. I’ll continue to experiment!
This is a great recipe! I paired the cake recipe with my cheesecake recipe, for a red velvet cheesecake…for my birthday. :::chef’s kiss:::
Thank you so much!
I tried the recipe, and my cake turned out brown, not red. Today I tried a Hershey’s red velvet recipe, and it’s the same thing. I’ve made red velvet cake in the past, and never had this problem! What am I doing wrong?
Hi Will, Were you using liquid or gel food coloring? For the most vibrant results, we recommend using gel food coloring (we use two full teaspoons to get the red color seen in the photos).
I think I figured out the problem. I’ve always used Hershey’s “Special Dark” cocoa, because it provides a richer flavor. I opened my can of Hershey’s regular cocoa, and it was much lighter in color. (I used gel coloring, BTW.)
I love the cake stand, can you link it?
Hi BeeBee, it’s from Crate & Barrel. Marble Pedestal Cake Stand.
Hi. Id like to make this for my daughters party but im confused it says 3 cups 360g flour but 2 cups 400g sugar. Im in australia and trying to go by grams. Thank you.
Flour and sugar are different ingredients with different densities, so the cup for cup weights will not be the same. The gram measurements as written are correct. Hope this is helpful!
I want to try this recipe, but I’d like to increase the cocoa powder to 1/2 cup because I prefer a red velvet cake with a little more cocoa flavor. If I do so, what other recipe adjustments would you recommend? Thank you. Love your website and recipes!
Hi Liz! It would take a bit of trial and error to figure out how best to do that. Cocoa powder can usually replace some of the flour, but it’s not always a 1:1 swap. You may need to increase some of the wet ingredients, too, since cocoa powder is so drying. Let us know if you decide to do any experimenting!
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda? I am using a natural food coloring powder.
Hi Michelle, we don’t recommend that swap.
Can I make this recipe using 2 8″ round cake pans? And how should I adjust the recipe?
Hi NA, For an 8 inch cake, we recommend using 3 8-inch cake pans. The cakes will be very thick using two 8 inch cake pans and may not bake evenly– or may even overflow. Bake for about 23-26 minutes.
Made this last night but wondering could I use whipped cream to sandwich layers together
I have used several of your recipes. All have been great. Thanks
Any suggestion as to why mine came out pink. I used gel food color and added the recommended amount and it’s just would turn red. I also made sour milk instead of using buttermilk
Hi Jen! What brand gel food coloring did you use? We love Americolor for vibrant colors!
I tried this recipe last night. It was great!!! I only make desserts on $325 it saves me from burnt out over cooked goods. Mine were so soft and moist
I really want to try this recipe, but i have a doubt, can i replace cream cheese with mascarpone instead? If so, i could just follow the steps of the icing or make something different. Thank you for your help!
Hi Daniel, Some readers have used mascarpone in place of cream cheese and loved it. We haven’t tried the substitution yet for this particular frosting though. Let us know if you do!
I want to bake this cake in 2 pans but my oven only has room for one. Is there any problem that I bake one first and let the other sit on the counter untill the first is done?
Hi Monica, that’s just fine! Leave the second pan covered at room temperature while you wait.
Yes, there are a lot of steps to this cake. But, they are well worth it. It has now become the asked for cake for birthdays and special occasions by hubby and 2 sons. I did use the red gel colouring instead of liquid colouring and feel it does make a difference. I also love the ‘secrets’ to this recipe, ie making the cake flour, using buttermilk and splitting the eggs, plus who would have thought using a small bit of vinegar in a cake would also be a great secret! 🙂 . I’ve never been a baker but using your recipes has brought extra joy to our home. Sally, thank you for creating the one stop shop for amazing baking. One happy novice baker here in Ireland
I love your website so much, but this cake was flavorless and disappointing.
I’m using this recipe to make a black, steam punk tiered wedding cake (black icing, red velvet cake). How many cups of batter does one recipe make? Is the recipe good when doubled or safer to make multiple single batches? I keep reading that people lost the colour when baking, how do I prevent this? Yes, I will do a test run of the whole cake but just trying to make as few cakes as possible
Hi TJ, this cake recipe yields roughly 8-9 cups of batter. It is best to make separate batches of batter. Using a high quality gel food coloring (like Americolor) is best for the red color of the cake – see recipe notes for details. Happy baking!
I made this cake for my granddaughter’s birthday and she loved it.
This is now my go to recipe for Red Velvet.
Moist, perfect texture. The frosting was excellent. Be sure to beat the frosting the full 3 minutes. THAT is a game changer!! Like silk. Also had plenty to be generous on the inside layer.
The directions are clear & easy.
Take your time, you will love it!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!! Thx so much.
Dear Sally,
I used this recipe to make a two layer half-sheet cake — first tmie I ever tried that!–for a friend’s birthday, and it was a big hit. Birthday girl says red velvet is her favorite and this one was the best! She asked for the recipe to share and I was so glad to be able to give her the link to this site, from which I have made many successful cakes, and recommend the whole site highly highly. My other “go-tos” are Southern Living, King Arthur, NordicWare, and Rose’s Bible, so take that as a high compliment!
I made two tiny tweaks — an extra Tablespoon of cocoa in the cake, and another Tablespopon. of cocoa to the frosting I used for the filling. Some people might call that heresy, but it worked really well.
Frosting and decorating it not my favorite part and I usually try to get that over as soon as possible. But this time I did not skip the crumb coat and was so glad!! Not having red crumbs in the white frosting looks so much better.
We’re so glad this cake was a hit with for your friend’s birthday, Barb! Thank you so much for giving our recipe a try.
This recipe wasn’t it for me. I thought the whipped egg whites was weird for a red velvet cake and sure enough I was right. It’s not needed and I feel like theres other recipes out there that taste better than this without all the hassle.
This recipe was amazing! I was wondering if I would need to tweak anything besides the flour to make it GF.
Hi Emily, we haven’t tested this recipe with a gluten-free flour blend, so we’re unsure of the results. Although some readers report using an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour in many of our recipes with success, you should expect slightly different results anytime you substitute ingredients. Let us know if you give it a try!
The cake and frosting turned out delicious. I was a little bummed, because my cake turned out looking more brown than red. I read the notes and thought using beetroot powder would be pretty cool. I ended up tripling the amount, until the batter was really red. But for whatever reason, while it baked it lost the red and turned brown I made this for my son’s third birthday, because his favorite color is red (He’s obsessed with red lol). I’m sure he’ll still love it lol, as it tastes delicious. But I would recommend not using beetroot powder and going with the gel.
I read that the only time beet powder will stay red is when the recipe does not call for baking powder or baking soda. Both of those leavening agents turn the beet powder brown (I was going to try it also but once I read that, I ordered gel food coloring instead).
Hi. How does the frosting hold up as piped flowers on the side of the cake?
Hi Teri! This cream cheese frosting won’t have enough definition for intricate piping like flowers. We would use vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream for those!
Hi there! My son wants red velvet cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday. What chocolate frosting recipe would you suggest to go with this cake recipe?
Hi Emily, I would try this chocolate cream cheese frosting! Or you could use the more classic chocolate buttercream from this triple chocolate cake recipe. Hope it turns out great!
30 minutes was way too short even with a fan oven – had to leave for an additional 10-15 minutes and then the edges were burnt. perhaps the biggest disappointment was that the colour was not red at all but rather a brown colour despite adding as much as suggested and more.
Hi Daniel, I’m sorry to hear your cake didn’t turn out. I’m happy to help troubleshoot. What temperature did you bake the cake layers in on the fan setting?
My grandson wants a protein red velvet cake for his graduation. Would I be able to substitute some cake flour for protein powder or would you lessen the amount of sugar? Thank you.
Hi Mary Ellen, it would take some recipe testing to figure out the best way to incorporate protein powder into this cake. It’s likely not a 1:1 swap with the cake flour. If you decide to do any experimenting, please do let us know how it goes!
Made this cake on my daughter’s 3rd birthday and it’s the best cake I’ve ever made. Currently making the red velvet cupcakes. Thank you so much! This recipe is a keeper. Love from Stockholm, Sweden ❤️
We’re so happy to read this glowing review, thank you!
I made this recipe few times and I really like it – it really is velvety. The frosting is a bit too sweet for my taste. First time I removed 1 cup of sugar and it was still too sweet, then 2 cups and it is still a bit to sweet for me and my family, but I am not removing more of it because I don’t want it to lose texture and become runny.
I paid attention to put all the ingredients to room temperature and that all is mixed well and the cakes are wonderful. Thank you for the recipe.